Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-08
JONTHAN'S NEW IDEES.


Adaptability IS sometimes n dangerous gift: but
Phebe Martin after few years OF teaching district
shool, found it wonderfully helpful one, especi-
ally when she was thrust into new and disagree
able surroundings.
what nave To DO, is what eke to do she
remarked phllOsophicslly, when people asked her
opinions OF things she had to endure In her timer
AM wO r..
50 when she received call 10 finish term at
the pike Branch dlstri.t she went fortified to
accept whatever fortune had in store for her.
she resolrtely forgot the stark ugllneSs OF the
little whitewa5hed cab-n that became her home,
AMI reIoiced IN the beautiful landscape that
stretched before the door. She never tired OF
watching the grain, forever shoaIing from green TO
gold, and surging up and down the valley under
the wind Ike rush OF enchanted waters. The
grand old trees delighted her too. Everywhere the
Oaks lowered In arches and eolonnades that might
have graced a barons domain She spent many an
hour under them, looking up through the branches
that wrote In cipher on the sky, and dreaming OF
past or future, or reading good poetry.
Mount st. John and the Sanhedrim In the west
grew 10 he Ike dear friends TO her. as she watched
them dt1ly-in the morning sharply outlined IN
pureSt blue, not like inallmate earth, but seeming
70 puisate with inherent life: al noon with softer
conagurations. gray, as though Swathed In deer
skin: and at evening palesJ lilac, with a glow
OF radiance behind them ike halo round
blessed head.
All said Phebe "if could live ont doors all
The time and not be stified in thai little hOuSe.'
The nights 1t first seemed uncomfortable. The
cabin was orerTun with rats and mice, which held
orgies in the hooks and CTaDnIes OF the roof and
walls. anu whisked lnqGoitiyely across her bed,
and familiarity dartcd under her pillows. The
lGldlady would allow eats around the place,
Tor their taste for young turkey depopulated her
mice Increased in numbers and daring. Phebe
after time, quelIed th" riot among her nerves by
reasoning that tbs world had known but one
in,
stitution. This philosophy and the constant visit
atiOns combined To Danish fear and nervousness,
unit! she was able % sleep calmly.
Though the family rose al day break and hustled
about every side or her Just "a Phebe had
reached her most refreshing sluEIuer, she per-
5uad"d herself that u morning walk, listening 10
Jae songs OF the laraS, and Watching the shifting
shadows on mountains ana valleys, was feast OF
SOUND aad sight th2t could be appreciated only
when the lay Was yoUnE-
The landlady. slim. wirn STOPPING shoulders and
hobbilng walk. iTrcS5tiby reminded Phebe OF
one OF ner own turkey hens. she smoked, too and
b0.t5rd that she could ''-t away with more JeenS
lslyer honey Dew toiiacker than the ole man an
Ac want no slouch az II, neither" The woman
Wtn: about with her pipe in her mouth con-
staEjiy-cr at least when She wasn't hunting for
II OF lOaJfng IL up Strange seasoning thus got
infO the 15od III times But Phebe compromised
with healthy appetite a dainty stomach, and an
aversion 10 tobacco as an article OF diet. by
announcing that potatoes cooked with their
packets on and TX = boiled in the shell were her
1avortte VlandS; and persisted IN following this
diet, unless she could help prepare the meals,
she sometimes did.
Wien az Investigation. Instituted by the land
lord himself one day, 10 The unusual flavor OF
The coffee dis, S"d the fact that one o. the iand-
1aty> lost short pipes Was lending its strength and
aroma u that OF the berry Phebt was confirmed
IN the belief that coffee is no. wholesome beyer-
age. and Lenceforth water became her drink.
With people - with Things she accepted the in
evltable. She talked syIHpat het1caIly u every
one and all Pike Branch was in love with the
SchUOl-lnarIn.
thetiC which she most delighted relate In after
years, was OF Ter Tlrst party al Pike Branch.
PAcDe hai heard The children discussing the
COMING event IoT several days, and had gathered
that the party was To celebrate Alv1ny Missouri
DuSenUerTy' seventeenth birthday; though as she
was unacquainJed with the family she had not ex-
pectet To be invited.
but the week before the august day, neighbor's
child brought her a verbal invitation. PheDe re-
memberIng that her landady ana Mrs Du5enberry
were not on speaking terms, and that therefore no
CONVEYANCE from her boarding place could be OBJ
tanned, politely declined, explaining her inability
10 get 10 Mrs. DusenberryS. But the hospitable
party-givers again sent word that if that was all
10 henuer her COMM" they would '-see that she
got there"
The longed-fOr date came at last Very little
studying was done in school that day. for every
child was going TO the party. Every girl had her
hair painfully rolled over tea-leads, or braided in
lnnumera0le tight tails In preparation for the
Pheoe, CHANGING out OF the window in the after
noon, happened 10 see a souching figure coming
down the road She wondered vaguely who il
could be, for paSSers-by were rare Then she for
SOt all about IL until the murnurous hum OF tndo-
1ence in the house was broken in upon by a pecu.
liar chuckling noise outside the door Suddenly
one OF the big girls, with head-dreSS OF lead
rushed out AFTER short parley she came in
noticed at her side.
Teacher" she said dramatically from the
threshold, this is Mr.. JOnth Robbins"
be seated
He doubled his ungainly figure into a series of
angles, ana Wrlggled between bench and desk.
Phebe TOOK an inventory OF the long drab hair
the eyes with a great expanse or white In the
center Oh which was small spot about two shades
scattering beard, and wondered what the man had
come for. He did not seem 10 take much interest
IN school matters, for he yawned alarlningly with
creaking sound, during lecture on the ob1ec-
tive case, and began trimming his nails and
cracking MS nnger joints When The geography
class Was reciting.
AT recess time every pupil passed out, and Phebe
hoped that tine uneasy guest would depart too
himself
Phebe spoke pleasantly of the weather and the
oppressive heat. Mr.. Robbins admitted tina. it
was "olamed not an sweaty a travelin',- ave
just came down from ST. John, raound by CoIusy
too" he went on, IAN comm out O. the mount aims
! ieel the heat powerful i haint had no rest
neither sence I've been mere. You see, Mis- DuseD-
berry's go,n' 10 give party for Alviny Missouri
Tonight. an folks thinks about here that there
can't % no doins thaOut Jon'than Robbins to run
,en- everything seems 10 come ON my shoulders.
We been 10 twenty different places to-day seein'
i-O01t things, an inyitIn folks, an now I've drop
ped In 10 invite YOU
broke IN Pheoe. Mrs. Dusenberry has ALREADY
Invited me. and promised 10 send Tor me-
ic>- 4 hno" all ABOUT IT, That's fell onto
shoulders. tco- I've got TO come an get you"
he rueiui yet important air with which this
urgent Invitation" was delivered, was almost
too much Tor PheDe. -, couldn't think of i'm
posing on you SOi' she said '.Ill write a note 10
dTS- DuSenDerry and ask her TO excuse me"
~, I've got IL TO de-" said the resigned master
OF ceremonies, Who really felt quite proud OF the
Idea or e5,0rtlng the popular sclool-Inarm. you
De ready about sundown an III De after YOU" aud
ne hurried Oh with the air OF one who had dis
charged diSigreeable task.
Al The supper table that night Phebe told of
her WISH or anu the invitation Well CALCULATED
The landlady, II pose Jontnan thought me Was a
uoih tLat Joo up nnc- Oh all eedlOJs, he Is the
most SlIprisin- liz WAS gal / wouldn't step out
U the house with oech Oujeck."
come, come now, woman put Ia the landlord
u reckon ScAool-m4rm has seen bigger fools m
JOnthan-"
We'll now, pap. / reckon 7 would crowd her
puttJ usAt 10 md another sich d Specimenlp
maintained the wife.
''Nhat Is peculiar about him?" said Phebe. wish
iDg 10 near more OF her odd swain
Wen, tne whole posse OF them RobDinSes Is
Juy1ed. Joathan has rts every now and then.
spCSe mat has unsettled what ieetle sens. M
might heT had. i wonder VINO he'll borrow his
rig from tonight" said the host
do you mean bis clothes: Hasn't he q suit of
clothes?" ~ -
Got nothini," was the wtfe's sweeping sum-
mary "He spends what leeJle lie earns coln,
round TO all sorts OF foOliShness and buyln5 no
break into their things an help hsselr TO the hest
But now they've TOOK their things over TO neigh
Dor stones for safe keepin,. Lawful sakes, I've
S-en him goin' on as big life with Docks uauts
an SANS coat an the ole mans boots an them n
5isip around In their ole clOeS with nOthin' TIT TO